The Alpha's Runaway Queen

Chapter 28 - Telling Sean

Jasmine POV

I was still reeling from my encounter with Reagan. His kiss lingered on my lips, a haunting reminder of our deep, unbreakable bond. Every time I thought of Sean, a pang of guilt pierced through me. I knew I had to tell him about Reagan. I was not sure about the timing, but the sooner I told him, the better. When Sean finally returned from his trip, his excitement showed, and I wanted to be happy for him. However, I couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding that clung to me.

As soon as he walked through the door, straight from his trip, I noticed it again–the scent of burning wood. It seemed to emanate from him, an unsettling aroma that made me and Bridget uneasy. I tried to ignore it, blaming my heat and hallucinations. It might be because of my heightened senses playing tricks on me. He swept me into his arms, his enthusiasm almost overwhelming, making me feel more guilty.

“Jas! I’ve missed you so much,” he said.

It was the first time we were away that long since we entered into an exclusive relationship. It was no wonder he would feel that way. I would have also missed him, but Reagan’s presence shifted my emotions.

“I missed you too, Sean,” I replied as I hugged him back. What else should I reply, right? He was surely expecting me to miss him. “How was your trip?”

Sean’s excitement seemed to go down a notch. “It was–productive. Uhm…we sealed the deal with the client, and everything went smoothly,” he said. “But enough about work. How have you been?”

I took him to the kitchen, where I had prepared a sandwich for him and cold lemonade. When we sat down, he looked around as if looking for something.

“Is everything alright?” I asked. “I can prepare coffee or tea if that is what you like.”

“Lemonade is fine,” he replied. With his flat answer, I knew his excitement had already waned. “How have you been?” he repeated his question earlier.

I hesitated, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. “Sean? There’s something I need to tell you.”

His expression shifted slightly. His curiosity completely overtook him. “What is it?” He was about to take a bite of the sandwich but placed it back on the plate.

I took a deep breath thinking it was probably bad timing. However, Bridge was pushing me to spill it already. “Remember when I told you about my past? That I’m from a pack? Well, my best friend found me. His name is Reagan.”

His curiosity was replaced by shock and suspicion. “Reagan?”

I nodded. “Yes. He tracked me down. We talked.”

Sean’s eyes narrowed and that scent of burning wood grew stronger. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I wanted to, but you were out of town. And honestly, I needed to process everything myself first. It was a shock for me.”

“Process what? You told me you moved on,” he said with his voice rising.

“I have moved on, Sean. But Reagan is a part of my past, and now he’s here. I can’t just ignore him.”

“You should,” Sean snapped. “You need to stop seeing him.”

“Sean, it’s not that simple,” I replied as I tried to keep my voice calm. “Reagan and I have a history. We were best friends.” I took a deep breath before murmuring the next words. “We have a bond that doesn’t just disappear.”

“Damn it, Jasmine!” he exclaimed, making me almost jump back from my seat. “A bond? You mean the mate bond?” he asked with his eyes flashing with anger. “You should have rejected him already!”

I didn’t know how he knew about the mate bond. He was a human. How would he know more about werewolves?

“I planned to,” I admitted. “But things got complicated.” I didn’t want to further explain to him what happened, that I had my heat during my encounter with Reagan.

“Then you need to reject him immediately,” Sean demanded with a harsh tone. “For us.”

“I will. But please understand that it is not something I can do lightly. I can die rejecting him. I will reject him when I am ready.” It was the truth, anyway. At that time, I was still weak from my heat.

Sean’s face contorted with rage. “I don’t care. You need to choose, Jasmine. It’s either him or me.”

“I choose you, Sean! But please bear with me. I have to wait, and get ready, before rejecting him,” I pleaded.

His anger reached a boiling point. Before I could say more, he raised his hand as if to strike me. My instincts kicked in, and I dodged, my reflexes saving me from his blow. We both froze, shocked by what had almost happened.

Sean’s face crumpled with regret, and he immediately lowered his hand. “Jasmine, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to–”

Tears welled up in my eyes as the reality of the situation crashed down on me. “Sean, I think we need to lay low for a while. This isn’t healthy.”

He reached for me. “Jasmine, please. I didn’t mean it. I was just angry.”

“I know,” I said as I stepped back. “But I need some space. This is too much.”

“Please don’t leave me,” he begged.

“I’m not leaving you,” I said softly. “But we need to take a step back and reassess things. I still love you, Sean, but this…this isn’t right.”

He nodded with tears in his eyes. “I understand.” Sean walked out of my apartment, leaving the sandwich uneaten.

I threw the food. My heart felt heavy with the weight of the situation. I needed time to think, to process everything that had just happened. As I walked away, the scent of burning wood lingered in the air, a reminder of the darkness that lurked within Sean.